Because sea salts include trace minerals which are known to promote good health, there is a substantial demand for sea salts to flavor foods. Sea salts have been produced for centuries using the traditional method of allowing natural seawater to evaporate from shallow ponds located in arid climates. As the natural seawater concentrates, crystals of salt begin to form as the solubility of them decreases. Although very complicated, this process occurs naturally and yields a coveted salt with unique chemistry and properties. The sodium chloride content of these sea salts is typically from 90 to 98%. This is due to the solubility and overwhelming concentration of sodium and chloride found in natural seawater as compared to other components such as magnesium, potassium, and sulfate.
Health concerns have prompted the introduction of low-sodium salts for food use. However, it is believed that existing products are all produced synthetically by blending purified potassium chloride with ordinary table salts to achieve the reduced sodium content. It is desirable to produce a natural sea salt with significantly reduced sodium chloride content, e.g., 30 to 70 weight percent, while maintaining the naturally occurring trace elements found in quality sea salts.